The five-time Tour de France champion has tentative plans to enter the Georgia race as he tunes up for a bid to win the Tour de France a record sixth time, Dan Osipow, general manager for the company that owns Armstrong's United States Postal Service team.

"Most (U.S.) races don't fit into his training schedule, but this one does," Osipow said.

Armstrong may be attracted to Georgia if part of the April 20-25 race, which includes Augusta, is scheduled in north Georgia's mountains, said Kathleen Hardison, director of marketing for Tour de Georgia.

"Of course Lance's main focus is the Tour de France and will continue to be," Osipow said. "But if the Tour de Georgia fits into his training schedule, he'll be there."

Baseball

Sheffield meets with Yankees

Gary Sheffield had an informal meeting with the New York Yankees, who may be interested in signing the free-agent outfielder.

Sheffield, who played for the Atlanta Braves the last two seasons, came across several Yankees' officials at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' game against the New York Giants on Monday night.

His agent, Rufus Williams, said it was an informal conversation. Sheffield is talking with several teams, Williams said.

"It's still in the preliminary phase," Williams said Tuesday. "I'm happy with the way everything is progressing."

Among the Yankees officials at the meetings were team president Randy Levine, chief operating officer Lonn Trost, general manager Brian Cashman and assistant general manager Jean Afterman.

The Chicago Cubs added some power to their lineup Tuesday, acquiring Derrek Lee from the Florida Marlins for Hee Seop Choi and a minor leaguer to be named.

Lee hit .271 with 31 homers, 92 RBIs and 21 steals last season for the World Series champion Marlins. Lee has 20 homers in each of his last four seasons and has 40 steals over the last two years - the most by any first baseman in the majors.

Track and field

Decker Slaney receives honor

Middle-distance great Mary Decker Slaney, sprinter John Carlos, and 400-meter runners Larry James and Mike Larrabee are joining the National Track & Field Hall of Fame.

Their selections were announced Tuesday by USA Track & Field, and they will be inducted Dec. 5.

Decker Slaney was the 1983 world champion at 1,500 and 3,000 meters and set 36 national records from the 800 to the 10,000.

Carlos is best known for joining Tommie Smith in raising black-gloved fists in a black power salute during the medal ceremony for the 200 meters at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. Carlos won the bronze in that event.

James was on the gold medalist team for the 1,600 relay at those Olympics. He also won a silver in the individual 400.

Larrabee, who died in April at age 69, won gold medals for the 400 and the 1,600 relay at the 1964 Olympics.

Soccer

UEFA switches Turkey matches

Three European Cups games will be moved from Turkey to neutral sites by the Union of European Football Associations because of security concerns following last week's terrorist attacks in Istanbul.

Two Champions League games were affected: Juventus of Turin's match at Galatasaray on Tuesday, which already had been postponed until Dec. 2, and Chelsea's game at Besiktas on Dec. 9.

Maccabi Haifa's UEFA Cup game against Valencia on Thursday also will be shifted.